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-   -   most beautiful mountain scenery for easy summer hiking (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/most-beautiful-mountain-scenery-for-easy-summer-hiking-867921/)

s2000bob Nov 27th, 2010 07:57 AM

most beautiful mountain scenery for easy summer hiking
 
After being spoiled by Switzerland, I am looking for the most beautiful mountain scenery and easy summer hiking in North America. Any suggestions? I am leaning towarde Lake Louise to Jasper. Can I do better than that?

starrs Nov 27th, 2010 08:16 AM

What do you call "easy"? How long? How strenuous?
Grand Teton National Park is gorgeous too.

starrs Nov 27th, 2010 08:29 AM

http://www.grand.teton.national-park.com/hike.htm

stumpworks73 Nov 27th, 2010 09:00 AM

Ranier and the Cascades are spectacular. Reluctant to say easy. Louise to Jasper is a great trek.

PaulRabe Nov 27th, 2010 09:40 AM

> I am leaning towarde Lake Louise to Jasper.
> Can I do better than that?

Better? For scenery, probably not.

However, almost by definition, good mountain scenery negates ease of hiking.

Gretchen Nov 27th, 2010 10:13 AM

Rockies around Aspen?

williamscb13 Nov 27th, 2010 11:18 AM

The hike between Crested Butte and Aspen is easy and beautiful. You start up high on the Crested Butte side and walk all the way into the Maroon Bells and catch the bus at Aspen Highlands into the town of Aspen proper. We've done it before and tried to do it around 4th of July this past summer, but the passes were not open yet and there were several rivers to ford which were running too high at that time of year. When we did it before it was around the first of August and had to walk through streams but they were not bad.
The walk is easier going from Crested Butte to Aspen because more of it is downhill on the Aspen side of the West Maroon pass while you can hike from Aspen to Crested Butte, it is longer because more of the hike is uphill.

Note though that Aspen is a ritzy glitzy town and it packed in the summer.
Crested Butte is out of the way laid back and funky.

I feel like there's hut to hut hiking somewhere in Colorado you might do a google search for hut to hut hiking in the US if that's your style.

PeaceOut Nov 27th, 2010 02:56 PM

Your question has too many answers.

annesherrod Nov 27th, 2010 02:57 PM

The Smoky Mts are actually gorgeous!

My favorites are Mt Rainier and Cascades.

John Nov 27th, 2010 03:46 PM

Glacier National park

spirobulldog Nov 27th, 2010 04:37 PM

There are many places. If you are wanting something that looks like the Alps, most people would suggest North Cascades. But many places would work. Even places like Mount Hood, Mount Saint Helens, Lassen offer unique hikes.
How much elevation gain do you want, how far and how high to start with? Those are the determining factors in how easy your hikes will be. Rocky's, Glacier, Rainier as others have mentioned would all be great.

Connie Nov 27th, 2010 05:06 PM

Having been to and hiked in Switzerland, I'd vote for Glacier. There are many levels of hiking and the scenery is awesome.

Jaya Nov 27th, 2010 05:33 PM

The Presidential Range in NH. You can make it as easy or challenging as you want.

Mt. Washington is over 6,000 ft. Some of these hikes do require thought and proper gear because the weather can change mid-hike. A lot of out of state hikers underestimate our mountains and need help to get back down.

P.S. NH will charge hikers for rescues if it's determined you go stuck/lost/whatever as a result of your own poor planning.


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